The present invention relates to ink supplies for an ink-jet printer and, more particularly to ink supplies that can be readily refilled or replenished. A typical ink-jet printer has a print head mounted to a carriage that is moved back and forth over print media such as paper. As the print head passes over appropriate locations on the printing surface, a control system activates ink jets on the print head to eject, or jet, ink drops onto the printing surface and form desired images and characters.
To work properly, such printers must have a reliable supply of ink for the print head. Many ink-jet printers use a disposable print cartridge that can be mounted to the carriage. Such a print cartridge typically includes, in addition to the print head, a reservoir containing a supply of ink. The print cartridge also typically includes pressure-regulating mechanisms to maintain the ink supply at an appropriate pressure for use by the print head. When the ink supply is exhausted, the print cartridge is disposed of and a new print cartridge is installed. This system provides an easy, user-friendly way of providing an ink supply for an ink-jet printer.
Other types of ink-jet printers use ink supplies that are separate from the print head and are not mounted to the carriage. Such ink supplies, because they are stationary within the printer, are not subject to all of the size limitations of an ink supply that is moved with the carriage. Some printers with stationary ink supplies have a refillable ink reservoir built into the printer. Ink is supplied from the reservoir to the print head through a tube that trails from the print head. Alternatively, the print head can include a small ink reservoir that is periodically replenished by moving the print head to a filling station at the stationary, built-in reservoir. In either alternative, ink may be supplied from the reservoir to the print head by either a pump within the printer or by gravity flow.
Once depleted, the reservoir is typically discarded and a new reservoir installed. However, the reservoir and any associated mechanisms are typically capable of further use if they could be replenished with a fresh supply of ink.
One aspect of the present invention is a replaceable ink supply for removable insertion into a docked position within a docking bay of an ink-jet printer. The docking bay includes a pump actuator and a fluid inlet coupled to a trailing tube for supplying ink to a movable print head. The replaceable ink supply includes a reservoir for containing a quantity of ink. The reservoir defines a fill port into which ink may be introduced into the reservoir. Also included is a sealing member for the fill port. The sealing member is selectively removable by a user to add ink to the reservoir. A fluid outlet is included with the replaceable ink supply. The fluid outlet is configured to establish fluid communication with the fluid inlet when the ink supply is in the docked position. Also included is an ink pump in fluid communication with the reservoir and the fluid outlet. The ink pump actuable by the actuator when the ink supply is in the docked position to draw ink from the reservoir and supply the ink through the fluid outlet to the trailing tube.
Another aspect of the present invention is a replaceable pump module for use with an ink jet printer having a docking bay. The docking bay includes a pump actuator and a fluid inlet fluidically coupled to a moveable print head. The pump module includes a fluid inlet configured for connection to a fluid outlet associated with a supply of ink. A fluid outlet is included that is configured for connection to the fluid inlet associated the docking bay. Also included is a pump in fluid communication with the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet associated with the replaceable pump module. The pump is actuateable by the pump actuator to draw ink from the supply of ink and provided a pressurized supply of ink to the fluid inlet associated with the docking bay.
Yet another aspect of the present invention is a replaceable ink container for use with a pressurization module or pump module for providing ink to an ink jet printing system. The ink jet printing system has a docking bay that includes a fluid inlet and an actuator. The replaceable pump module is configured to interface with the fluid inlet and the actuator to provide ink to the docking bay. The replaceable pump module includes a fluid inlet configured for connection to a supply of ink. The replaceable ink container includes a fluid outlet configured for connection to the fluid inlet associated with the pump module. Also included is an ink reservoir for containing a quantity of ink. The ink reservoir is in fluid communication with the fluid outlet. With the pump module properly installed in the docking bay and the replaceable ink container properly installed in the pump module a supply of ink is provided from the replaceable ink container to the docking bay of the ink jet printing system.